King Court Tenants, Goodwin College To Discuss Redevelopment

HILDA MUÑOZ, hmunoz@courant.com

EAST HARTFORD — Members of the King Court Resident Association and representatives from Goodwin College are scheduled to meet next week after the recent sale of the 80-unit moderate-income housing complex to the college.

Goodwin College purchased King Court for $3.2 million from the East Hartford Housing Authority with the agreement that the college would redevelop the property while maintaining King Court's original mission .

The association complained last week that the sale was finalized at the end of July without updating a plan that allows residents to participate in the redevelopment process, said Mary Hill, president of the tenant's association.

The association and Goodwin College had negotiated the amendment, which is required by the sales agreement, for a year.

The group was startled to learn the sale was completed without the meeting and planned to air its concerns last week during a press conference. The association cancelled the event after Goodwin College representatives reached out and agreed to meet, said Hill.

"We will continue to work with the King Court Resident Association and residents in an open, transparent and collaborative manner to understand and address any concerns and as we define a redevelopment plan that ensures the future viability of King Court," a statement from Goodwin College said.

"Based on open dialogue with the residents of King Court, this process includes revising the existing Resident Participation Plan that currently outlines a redevelopment process that will continue to ensure meaningful resident participation," the statement said.

King Court has been a financial burden on the housing authority for years. The complex is in need of repairs and many of its 80 units are uninhabitable.

Of the 46 residents living there, 28 chose to stay as Goodwin redevelops the property and 18 asked the housing authority to be placed elsewhere.

The money from the sale will be used to pay off liens on the property and costs associated with the sale. The balance will be split between the state and the town of East Hartford, said Ralph Alexander, attorney for the authority.

In 2012, the authority hired the Bridgeport Housing Authority for guidance in selling or redeveloping the property. Backlash from King Court residents led to an agreement that allowed residents to participate in the process.

With suggestions from King Court residents, the housing authority chose Goodwin College and its team, Imagineers LLC. and JHM Group, from about six developers who responded to a request for quotations in 2013.